Man Molests 9-Year-Old Girl And Three Other Children

The owner of a chain of prestigious Manhattan music schools charged with molesting a 9-year-old girl sexually assaulted at least three other victims, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Ilya Lehman, 70, is also the music instructor at The Early Ear chain of schools on the upper West Side and upper East Side.

He was arrested in August for allegedly molesting the student between Sept. 2011 and April 2013.

During a court hearing in Manhattan Supreme Court, prosecutors said they had identified at least three other victims.

“We have located two other of the defendant’s victims,” Assistant District Attorney Nahal Batmanghelidj said.

“Based on our investigation, we believe there’s a possible third individual,” she added.

The prosecutor, who did not reveal details on the alleged incidents or the additional victims, added “it appears” there are statute of limitations issues with the cases.

Prosecutors suggested they would try to introduce the alleged assaults at trial if they are not able to charge Lehman with additional crimes.

Lehman vehemently denies the sexual attack on the child he was arrested for allegedly groping, and just learned of the new allegations today, his attorney said.

“This is the first time the District Attorney’s office has given any indication that it believes there may be other alleged victims,” said his lawyer, Raymond Granger. “We’ll have to wait and see whether and if so how the DA’s office proceeds with respect to those allegations.”

Lehman, who is free on $300,000 bail on the condition that he refrain from teaching children, was indicted for continued sexual conduct against a child and sexual abuse in the first degree.

He pleaded not guilty to those charges when he was arraigned in August.